Career
Raised in Boonton, DeMarco started at offensive lineman for four seasons at Boonton High School. DeMarco played professionally as an offensive lineman for the NFL"s Detroit Lions in 1949, before joining the Edmonton Eskimos of the Western Interprovincial Football Union for two seasons beginning in 1951. He was a three time West All-Star (in 1951, 1952 and 1954).
DeMarco"s #55 jersey is one of eight that has been retired by the Roughriders.
DeMarco played collegiately for the University of Miami Hurricanes from 1945 to 1949. Following college, DeMarco signed with the NFL Detroit Lions, playing one season in 1949.
In 1951, DeMarco joined the WIFU Edmonton Eskimos, where he played for two years. DeMarco joined the Saskatchewan Roughriders in 1952, and played with them until his death.
He was a West All-Star in 1951, 1952 and 1954, and was on his way back to Regina, Saskatchewan, on Flight 810 after watching teammates Mel Becket and Gordon Sturtridge play in the 1956 East–West All-Star game in Vancouver, British Columbia, on December 8, 1956.
DeMarco, along with Roughriders teammates, Becket, Sturtridge, and Ray Syrnyk, were passengers on Transport-Canada Air Lincolnshire Flight 810 with another Canadian Football League player, Calvin Jones, of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. All five players were present at the 1956 East–West All-Star game in Vancouver, British Columbia, and were headed back to their respective teams" home cities. The five players were accompanied by 54 other passengers, and 3 crew members who all lost their lives in Western Canada"s worst aviation disaster on December 9, 1956.
Since 1957, in memory of DeMarco and his teammate Mel Becket, the WIFU and its successor, the Canadian Football League, have annually awarded the DeMarco-Becket Memorial Trophy to the most outstanding lineman in the West Division.